US7677197B2 - Treatment of tissue specimens - Google Patents

Treatment of tissue specimens Download PDF

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Publication number
US7677197B2
US7677197B2 US10/518,307 US51830705A US7677197B2 US 7677197 B2 US7677197 B2 US 7677197B2 US 51830705 A US51830705 A US 51830705A US 7677197 B2 US7677197 B2 US 7677197B2
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
specimens
chamber
holding means
liquid
enable
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Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Fee Related, expires
Application number
US10/518,307
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English (en)
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US20060105332A1 (en
Inventor
James Alexander Sharpe
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Medical Research Council
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Medical Research Council
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Filing date
Publication date
Priority claimed from GB0214846A external-priority patent/GB0214846D0/en
Priority claimed from GBGB0227649.1A external-priority patent/GB0227649D0/en
Application filed by Medical Research Council filed Critical Medical Research Council
Publication of US20060105332A1 publication Critical patent/US20060105332A1/en
Assigned to MEDICAL RESEARCH COUNCIL reassignment MEDICAL RESEARCH COUNCIL ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: SHARPE, JAMES ALEXANDER
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Publication of US7677197B2 publication Critical patent/US7677197B2/en
Expired - Fee Related legal-status Critical Current
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Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
    • G01N1/00—Sampling; Preparing specimens for investigation
    • G01N1/28—Preparing specimens for investigation including physical details of (bio-)chemical methods covered elsewhere, e.g. G01N33/50, C12Q
    • G01N1/30—Staining; Impregnating ; Fixation; Dehydration; Multistep processes for preparing samples of tissue, cell or nucleic acid material and the like for analysis
    • G01N1/31—Apparatus therefor
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
    • G01N15/00—Investigating characteristics of particles; Investigating permeability, pore-volume or surface-area of porous materials
    • G01N15/10—Investigating individual particles
    • G01N15/14—Optical investigation techniques, e.g. flow cytometry
    • G01N15/1468—Optical investigation techniques, e.g. flow cytometry with spatial resolution of the texture or inner structure of the particle
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
    • G01N21/00—Investigating or analysing materials by the use of optical means, i.e. using sub-millimetre waves, infrared, visible or ultraviolet light
    • G01N21/17—Systems in which incident light is modified in accordance with the properties of the material investigated
    • G01N21/47—Scattering, i.e. diffuse reflection
    • G01N21/4795—Scattering, i.e. diffuse reflection spatially resolved investigating of object in scattering medium
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
    • G01N21/00—Investigating or analysing materials by the use of optical means, i.e. using sub-millimetre waves, infrared, visible or ultraviolet light
    • G01N21/62—Systems in which the material investigated is excited whereby it emits light or causes a change in wavelength of the incident light
    • G01N21/63—Systems in which the material investigated is excited whereby it emits light or causes a change in wavelength of the incident light optically excited
    • G01N21/64—Fluorescence; Phosphorescence
    • G01N21/645—Specially adapted constructive features of fluorimeters
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
    • G01N15/00—Investigating characteristics of particles; Investigating permeability, pore-volume or surface-area of porous materials
    • G01N15/10—Investigating individual particles
    • G01N15/14—Optical investigation techniques, e.g. flow cytometry
    • G01N15/1468—Optical investigation techniques, e.g. flow cytometry with spatial resolution of the texture or inner structure of the particle
    • G01N2015/1472—Optical investigation techniques, e.g. flow cytometry with spatial resolution of the texture or inner structure of the particle with colour
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
    • G01N35/00—Automatic analysis not limited to methods or materials provided for in any single one of groups G01N1/00 - G01N33/00; Handling materials therefor
    • G01N35/02—Automatic analysis not limited to methods or materials provided for in any single one of groups G01N1/00 - G01N33/00; Handling materials therefor using a plurality of sample containers moved by a conveyor system past one or more treatment or analysis stations
    • G01N35/04—Details of the conveyor system
    • G01N2035/0474—Details of actuating means for conveyors or pipettes
    • G01N2035/0477—Magnetic
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
    • G01N21/00—Investigating or analysing materials by the use of optical means, i.e. using sub-millimetre waves, infrared, visible or ultraviolet light
    • G01N21/62—Systems in which the material investigated is excited whereby it emits light or causes a change in wavelength of the incident light
    • G01N21/63—Systems in which the material investigated is excited whereby it emits light or causes a change in wavelength of the incident light optically excited
    • G01N21/64—Fluorescence; Phosphorescence
    • G01N21/645—Specially adapted constructive features of fluorimeters
    • G01N21/6456—Spatial resolved fluorescence measurements; Imaging

Definitions

  • This invention relates to the treatment of tissue specimens, particularly (but not exclusively) prior to imaging of the specimens by optical projection tomography (OPT), and to uses of optical projection tomography methods and apparatus.
  • OPT optical projection tomography
  • Tissue specimens are normally treated by immersion in one or more liquids, before the specimens are imaged in OPT apparatus, and the invention was devised as a way of facilitating this pre-treatment of specimens.
  • apparatus for treating tissue specimens by immersion in a liquid comprising a first structure providing a chamber for holding the liquid, and a second structure including holding means for releasably holding the specimens, the first and second structures being relatively moveable in a direction having a vertical component between a first position in which the holding means are relatively close to the chamber and in which the second structure closes the top of the chamber to enable the specimens to be immersed in the liquid whilst the latter is protected from the environment, and a second position in which the holding means are relatively distant from the chamber to enable the specimens to be loaded onto or unloaded from the holding means.
  • the first structure is stationary and the second structure is shiftable vertically with respect to the first structure.
  • the holding means may include magnets to enable specimens, each provided with a metal mount, to be detachably retained on the second structure by magnetic attraction.
  • the chamber is preferably in the form of an annular trough in which case the holding means may hold the specimens so that the latter depend from the holding means, conveniently at angularly spaced positions around a circle such that the specimens are lowered into the trough as the second structure is lowered to its first position.
  • the second structure preferably includes a lid which acts to close the chamber in the first position and the underside of which carries the holding means. Lid closure helps to prevent evaporation of volatile treatment liquids.
  • the second structure may be rotatably moveable around a central vertical axis, enabling specimens to be loaded onto and unloaded from the second structure at a chosen position alongside the apparatus, either by a robotic arm or a human hand.
  • the apparatus may have the facility to change the liquid when in the first position, enabling the specimens to be treated by different liquids in a succession of treatment stages, whilst retaining the chamber closed.
  • the apparatus may have a pump to fill and empty the chamber with a succession of chosen liquids which, in the case of tissue specimens, may act to wash or otherwise treat the specimens prior to the specimens being imaged by means of optical projection tomography.
  • a method of treating tissue specimens by immersion in a liquid in a chamber comprising loading the specimens onto a holder so that the specimens depend from the holder and are disposed above the liquid in the chamber, effecting relative movement between the chamber and the specimens in one direction to cause immersion of the specimens in the liquid whilst maintaining the chamber closed and protected from the environment during immersion, effecting relative movement between the chamber and the specimens in the opposite direction to bring the specimens out of the liquid, and unloading the treated specimens from the holder.
  • the specimens may be treated by different liquids in a plurality of treatment stages which are preferably carried out by successive emptying and filling of the chamber with the different liquids, whilst the specimens remain in the chamber and whilst the chamber remains closed and protected from the environment.
  • samples for use in the present invention may be prepared as described in the earlier patent applications and/or employing conventional pathological and histological techniques and procedures well known to persons skilled in the art.
  • FIG. 1 is an isometric view of apparatus according to the invention and in an open condition
  • FIG. 2 is an isometric view of the apparatus in a closed condition
  • FIG. 3 is a fragmentary view, to an enlarged scale, of part of the apparatus in an open condition, showing specimens held by the apparatus,
  • FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the apparatus
  • FIG. 5 shows the apparatus in combination with a robotic arm
  • FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of part of FIG. 5 .
  • FIG. 7 shows the robotic arm positioning a specimen onto the rotary stage of an OPT scanner.
  • the apparatus comprises a fixed structure 1 having a cylindrical outer casing 2 in the top of which is positioned an annular trough 3 which is open at the top.
  • a moveable structure 4 having a central hub or spindle 5 on the top of which is mounted a disc-like lid 6 the underside of which carries a number of angularly spaced and downwardly depending cylindrical magnets 7 .
  • the hub or spindle 5 is rotatably mounted in the fixed structure for rotation of the moveable structure about a central vertical axis indicated at 8 in FIG. 4 .
  • the hub or spindle 5 is capable of vertical translational movement with respect to the fixed structure 1 along the vertical axis 8 .
  • the trough 3 is capable of being filled with liquids, and the structure 1 includes containers for holding these liquids and pumps for filling and emptying the trough, as indicated at 10 in FIG. 4 .
  • the magnets 7 are used to hold, in a detachable manner, tissue specimens 12 each of which has been prepared with a metal mount 13 at one end of the specimen. This allows each metal 13 mount to depend from one of the magnets 7 , with the specimen 12 depending downwardly from the mount 13 .
  • the magnets 7 are raised clear of the top of the trough 3 so that the specimens 12 can be attached to or removed from the magnets 7 .
  • the lid 6 engages the top of the casing 2 and the specimens 12 are immersed in a liquid 14 in the trough 3 .
  • the robotic arm 15 shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 is used to load untreated specimens into the apparatus and also to transfer treated specimens from the apparatus to the rotary stage 16 of an OPT scanner where the specimens are imaged.
  • the robotic arm 15 is used to load specimens into the apparatus, each specimen being attached to the lower end of a corresponding magnet 7 by virtue of the magnetic attraction between the magnet 7 and the metal mount 13 at one end of the specimen 12 , the moveable structure 4 being in the open position and being indexed in a rotational sense as the specimens are loaded.
  • the moveable structure When loaded with specimens, the moveable structure is moved to its lowered or closed position, thereby immersing the specimens 12 in the liquid 14 which has been pumped into the trough 3 .
  • the lid 6 engages the upper rim of the outer casing 2 so that the liquid 14 is closed to the air, thereby allowing the use of a volatile liquid, unlike known apparatus which uses conveyor belts for transferring specimens through a liquid.
  • the first liquid is drained from the trough 3 and a second liquid pumped thereinto, without the need for the trough 3 to be opened to the air.
  • the attachment of the metal mounts 13 to the magnets 7 retains the specimens 12 in their hanging positions so that the specimens do not engage the bottom of the trough 3 , which could damage them.
  • any number of treatment stages can be carried out in this manner, the liquid being changed without the need to move the specimens and employing only a small volume of each treatment liquid.
  • the moveable structure 4 After treatment of the specimens 12 , the moveable structure 4 is raised to its upper position and the treated specimens 12 are then transferred to the rotary stage 16 by means of the robotic arm 15 , the structure 4 being rotationally indexed to enable the robotic arm 15 to unload each specimen 12 in turn and to transfer the treated specimen 5 to the rotary stage 16 .
  • liquids for treating the specimens are fixatives (such as paraformaldehyde or formalin), alcohols (in particular methanol and ethanol) and organic solvents for clearing the specimens (in particular benzyl alcohol and benzyl benzoate).
  • fixatives such as paraformaldehyde or formalin
  • alcohols in particular methanol and ethanol
  • organic solvents for clearing the specimens in particular benzyl alcohol and benzyl benzoate.

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  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Pathology (AREA)
  • Biochemistry (AREA)
  • General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Analytical Chemistry (AREA)
  • Immunology (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Optics & Photonics (AREA)
  • Biomedical Technology (AREA)
  • Molecular Biology (AREA)
  • Dispersion Chemistry (AREA)
  • Nuclear Medicine, Radiotherapy & Molecular Imaging (AREA)
  • Sampling And Sample Adjustment (AREA)
  • Investigating Or Analysing Biological Materials (AREA)
US10/518,307 2002-06-27 2003-06-13 Treatment of tissue specimens Expired - Fee Related US7677197B2 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (5)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB0214846.8 2002-06-27
GB0214846A GB0214846D0 (en) 2002-06-27 2002-06-27 Treatment of tissue specimens
GBGB0227649.1A GB0227649D0 (en) 2002-11-27 2002-11-27 Uses of optical projection tomography methods and apparatus
GB0227649.1 2002-11-27
PCT/GB2003/002570 WO2004003129A2 (en) 2002-06-27 2003-06-13 Treatment of tissue specimens

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
US20060105332A1 US20060105332A1 (en) 2006-05-18
US7677197B2 true US7677197B2 (en) 2010-03-16

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Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US10/518,307 Expired - Fee Related US7677197B2 (en) 2002-06-27 2003-06-13 Treatment of tissue specimens

Country Status (11)

Country Link
US (1) US7677197B2 (es)
EP (1) EP1516183B1 (es)
JP (1) JP4129456B2 (es)
AT (1) ATE359507T1 (es)
AU (1) AU2003280409B2 (es)
CA (1) CA2489096C (es)
DE (1) DE60313170T2 (es)
DK (1) DK1516183T3 (es)
ES (1) ES2285147T3 (es)
PT (1) PT1516183E (es)
WO (1) WO2004003129A2 (es)

Families Citing this family (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB0227649D0 (en) * 2002-11-27 2003-01-08 Medical Res Council Uses of optical projection tomography methods and apparatus
GB0503986D0 (en) * 2005-02-26 2005-04-06 Secr Defence Reaction apparatus
EP3485976A1 (en) * 2017-11-21 2019-05-22 Koninklijke Philips N.V. Method of handling a biopsy sample
CN108801752B (zh) * 2018-08-02 2023-11-28 佛山科学技术学院 一种样品装载装置以及样品驱动装置

Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2583379A (en) * 1949-03-16 1952-01-22 Technicon Company Automatic immersion apparatus
US3062225A (en) * 1960-04-11 1962-11-06 Corode Electrochemie S P R L Machine for immersing work-pieces in containers
US4202289A (en) * 1978-07-10 1980-05-13 Bils Robert F Specimen processing apparatus for microscopy
US6355104B1 (en) * 1998-11-20 2002-03-12 Louis S. Polster Article treating apparatus and method and control system therefor
US6562136B1 (en) * 2000-09-08 2003-05-13 Surmodics, Inc. Coating apparatus and method

Family Cites Families (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB8628371D0 (en) * 1986-11-27 1986-12-31 Shandon Southern Prod Tissue specimen treatment apparatus
GB0112392D0 (en) * 2001-05-22 2001-07-11 Medical Res Council Optical imaging appartus and associated specimen support means

Patent Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2583379A (en) * 1949-03-16 1952-01-22 Technicon Company Automatic immersion apparatus
US3062225A (en) * 1960-04-11 1962-11-06 Corode Electrochemie S P R L Machine for immersing work-pieces in containers
US4202289A (en) * 1978-07-10 1980-05-13 Bils Robert F Specimen processing apparatus for microscopy
US6355104B1 (en) * 1998-11-20 2002-03-12 Louis S. Polster Article treating apparatus and method and control system therefor
US6562136B1 (en) * 2000-09-08 2003-05-13 Surmodics, Inc. Coating apparatus and method

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
AU2003280409A1 (en) 2004-01-19
AU2003280409A2 (en) 2004-01-19
PT1516183E (pt) 2007-04-30
DE60313170T2 (de) 2007-08-23
CA2489096C (en) 2013-08-06
CA2489096A1 (en) 2004-01-08
ATE359507T1 (de) 2007-05-15
EP1516183B1 (en) 2007-04-11
DK1516183T3 (da) 2007-08-13
ES2285147T3 (es) 2007-11-16
WO2004003129A3 (en) 2004-02-26
DE60313170D1 (de) 2007-05-24
AU2003280409B2 (en) 2008-08-21
JP2005531005A (ja) 2005-10-13
JP4129456B2 (ja) 2008-08-06
US20060105332A1 (en) 2006-05-18
EP1516183A2 (en) 2005-03-23
WO2004003129A2 (en) 2004-01-08

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